Many fences found in residential neighborhoods are constructed with a series of support fence posts, often 4.times.4 timbers, placed somewhat equidistantly from each other. Cross-members are horizontally attached to the fence posts, and slats or 1.times.4 fence boards are attached vertically to the cross-members. FIG. 1 illustrates a typical residential fence 2 with a 4.times.4 fence post 4 constructed in this manner. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the fence post 4 protrudes outward from the fence 2 and is thus susceptible to damage from lawn care tools. For example, FIG. 1 illustrates a grass trimmer 6, such as those sold under the registered trademark WEEDEATER, which uses a rotating nylon monofilament line to cut grass along a fence. Unfortunately, this line often strikes and damages the fence post because of the post's protruding position.
Deterioration to a fence post due to damage by lawn tools can pose threats to the integrity of an entire section of a fence. In addition, damage to a fence post is costly and more burdensome to repair than a single fence board, as the post is generally set in concrete. Thus, protection for a fence post from damage and deterioration is desirable and worth the cost and effort of installing a protection device.
Prior art devices for protection of fence posts or trees are cylindrical and are designed to surround a post or tree to be protected. For example, Goodrich U.S. Pat. No. 5,311,713 discloses a cylindrical casing to be placed completely around a utility pole before it is installed. Campany U.S. Pat. No. 405,658 also discloses a cylindrical pole protector that surrounds a pole. These devices are difficult if not impossible to use on a fence post that is already part of a constructed fence. As illustrated in FIG. 1, fence boards are typically positioned directly behind and to the sides of the fence posts with only a small space between the fence boards and fence post. It would thus be difficult to install a prior art device, which surrounds a post, onto a fence post. In addition, prior art devices which are not cylindrical are designed to be structural supports only and are inadequate for protecting against damage due to lawn care tools. For example, Chapman U.S. Pat. No. 4,516,365 discloses a post support member which fails to cover and protect the sides of a post.
Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide a device for protecting a fence post from deteriorating due to damage by lawn care tools, such as a grass trimmer, mower, or clippers.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device which is easily attached to a fence post which is already set in the ground.
It is a further object of the present invention to provide a device which can be attached to fence posts in varying types of ground cover.
It is a still further object of the present invention to provide a device which can be installed to protect a free-standing post as well as a fence post.
Other objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art having reference to the following specification together with its drawings.